Tractor-mounted power loader



May 4, 1948.,v R. D. Ac'roN TRACTQR-MOUNTED POWER LOADER `Filed Dec. 29, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @mcs-PAH@ Ma! 4, 1948 R. D. AC1-0N 2,440,765

TRACTOR-MOUNTED VPOWER LOADER Filed Dec. 29. 1945 2 sheets-sneer 2 fusse Z @c8075 Patented May '4, 194s UNITED STATES PATENT ori-TCE Application December 29, 1945, Serial No. 638,263 2 Claims. (Cl. 214-140) This invention relates to a new and improved tractor-mounted power loader and has for one of its principal objects the provision of means for initially lifting the loader, with an increased leverage. l l

Another object of this invention is to provide a tractor-mounted loader liftable by cables and so arranged as to pry the loader from its groundengaging position prior to complete suspension by the cables. f 4

A further important object of this invention is to provide a tractor-mounted power loader arranged to preliminarily lift on a ground-engaging foot prior to the tractor assuming the complete load.

A still further important object of this invention is the provision of adjustable advantagev means forinitially raising theshovel portion of a tractor-mounted power loader and subsequently to raise the entire mechanism with the loader shovel.

Other and further important objects of the invention will become apparent from the disclosures in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which: v

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the tractor-mounted loader of this invention.

`Figure 2 is a sectional view of the loader taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial side elevational view of the tractor-mounted loader as shown in Figure 1 with the shovel in raised position.

Tractor-mounted loaders are generally equipped with a shovel extending forwardly of the tractor and a'. pair of beams pivotally attached at some point near the rear of the tractor. Some power means is customarily arranged to lift and lower the shovel and its rearwardly extending beams. Uses of power loaders are numerous. One of the main uses of a loader is to clean a cattle yard. The manure and other material deposited in such a yard become heavy and dense making removal very diiiicult. Use of an ordinary loader in such material puts excessive strain on the tractor inasmuch as the weight per unit volume is so great that the regular size shovel for such 'loaders carries much too great la load for the tractor. The weight of the material is not the main nor is it thesole problem of the loader.

The materials adherence and interrelation with adjacent material makes the tearing loose of a shovel load almost impossible without additional power means. Hence breaking a load loose is the primary function of the loader. In addition to obtaining suiiicientpower to raise the loader 2 shovel ity is essential that the initial breaking loose load of the shovelbe assumed by something other than the tractor which lifts the loader. Loaders of this general type are usually applied vto tricycle-type tractors, `and the small front steerable wheels are incapable of taking the "breaking loose loads without seriously damaging the tires or the structural supports for* these wheels. Y

As shown in the drawings:

'I'he reference numeral III indicates generally l an agricultural tractor of the tricycle type having a longitudinally extending narrow body portion II having a front steerable rolling support I2 and as shown equipped with pneumatic tires I3.. The rearward end of the tractor is relatively wide having an axle housing I4 extending transversely across the end of the narrow body portion I I and carrying large traction wheels I5 at the ends thereof.

A bracket structure I6 is clamped to the axle housing I4 as shown in Figure 1 and forms a pivotal support at I 1 for forwardly extending channel beams I8 on each side of the body portion II o'f the tractor I0. The beams I8 need not Ibe channel in shape but ratherare made that way only to insure suiilcient strength for the power loader. A loading shovel I 9 is mounted on the forward ends of the beams I8 at 20. The shovel I9 is equipped vwith forwardly extending tines or fingers 2| capable of penetration into material to be lifted. A heel portion 22 forms 'an enclosure for the rear of the shovel I9 and prevents material from falling oil.

The tractor I0 is equipped with a hydraulically operated cylinder 23 built into the chassis por- 'tion 24 of the bodyA II, Control of a piston rod lower extension 3l) of the4 hand lever 26 at 3| The forward end of the link 29 joins a lever 32 at 33 and directly shifts a stop member 34 which regulates the amount of maximum movement of the piston 25. A lever arm 35 is pivoted at 36 on the tractor chassis 24 and has its lower extension 31 joining with the piston 25 at 38. An upper extension 39 of the lever arm 35 is pivotally attached at 40' to a piston rod 4I having a. piston 42 at the other end thereof slidably movable within a hydrauliccylinder 43. The cylinder 4l is pivotally attached at 44 to a lug member 45 bolted to the chassis 24 at 46, Movement of the lever 35 about its pivotal attachment 36 forces the piston 42 inwardly and outwardly within the cylinder 43. Such movement about the pivot 36 causes upward and downward movement of the cylinder 43, and hence the pivotal attachment of the cylinder 43 at 44 is quite necessary. 'I'he cylinder 43 contains a uid which is adapted to be forced downwardly through flexible conduits l41 and 48 to cylinders 49 and 50, respectively.

Each of the cylinders 49 and 58 is attached to a depending bracket and 52, respectively. The lower end of each cylinder 49 and 5|) is bolted to the brackets 5I and 52 by bolt members 53 and 54. Each of the cylinders 49 and 58 has anupwardly extending piston rod 55 and 56. The upper portion of each piston rod 55 and -56 carries a short bracket member 51 and 58 forming a rotatable support for pulley members 59 and 6U. The pulley member 59 is pivoted at 6| on the bracket 51 and the pulley 60 is pivoted at 62 on the bracket 58. Ears 63 and 64 extend upwardly from the' bracket members 51 and 58, respectively, and are joined by a tie rod 65. The tie rod `6 5 tends to maintain the piston rods 55 and 56 in equally extended position, and although it is not capable of resisting torsional stresses it aids considerably in the smooth lifting of the loader shovel. Cable members 66 and 61 are anchored at 68 and 69 to the sides of the tractor body II. The cable members 66 and 61 extend upwardly around the pulleys 59 and 60, respectively, and thendownwardly where they are fastened at 10 and 1|-, respectively, to bifurcated bracket members 12 and 13, respectively. Upper portions 14 and 15 of the bifurcated members 'I2 and 13 have apertures through which the cable members 66 and 61 are attached as shown at 19 and 1 I. Lower forked portions 16 and 11 extend down over both sides of the channel beams I8. As best shown in Figure` 1 a lever arm 18 is pivoted at 19 by a pin member 80 to the lower end of the bifurcated bracket member 12. A similar lever 'arm 8| is pivoted by a pin member 82 to the lower end of the bifurcated bracket member 13 on the other side of the tractor. Ground engaging feet 83 and 84 are pivotally attached to the other end of the lever arms 18 and 8| at 85. Each of the lever arms 18 and 8| is pivotally attached intermediate its ends at 81 to a depending lug or ear 88 fastened to the under side yof the channel beam by rivets or the like 89.

In operation the device is actuated by a movement of the hand lever 26 causing the cylinder 3 to actuate, which in turn causes movement of the piston 42 inwardly of the cylinder 43, thereupon causing iiuid under pressure to be passed through the conduits 41 and 48 to the lower ends of the cylinders 49 and 58, respectively. As fluid is admitted to the cylinders 49 and 50, the piston rods 55 and 56 are forced upwardly thus causing a lifting action on the bifurcated members 'I2 and 13. Such a movement causes the lever arm 18 to pivot at 81, and the ground engaging feet 83 and 84 are swung downwardly so that a portion 90 of the lever arm 1n is in a vertical position between the pivotal attachment 81 and the foot member 83. When this occurs the loader shovel I9 has been raised free of the ground as indicated by the line 9|. Up to this point the tractor has not assumed the full load of the material on the shovel I9 but rather all the load has been taken by the foot members 83 and 84. Continued extension of the piston rods 55 and 56 4 beyond the point where the pins 80 and 8,2 strike the lower sides of the channel beams I8 causes further upward movement of the shovel I9 as well as lifting movement of the foot pedals 83 and 84 and their associated lever arms. As best shown in Figure 3 the shovel I9 has been raised to its uppermost position, and it is apparent that the foot member 83 and the lever arm 18 lie l closely adjacent the channel beam I8. As soon as the foot pedals 83l and 84 leave the ground, the load is transmitted to the tractor I9. However, after the load has been severed from the pile it ceases to be as heavy and hence is not liable to cause damage to the small front wheel support I2 of the tractor.

The lever arms 18 and 8| are equipped with a plurality of apertures 92 so that the mechanical advantage of the lever arm 18 may be varied as the need arises.

If it is desired to entirely eliminate the action of the initially pushed down foot, a pin or bolt may be inserted through apertures 93 in the bifurcated bracket members 12- and 13 immediately beneath the channel beams I8 so that upon initiating lifting action of the cables 66 and 61, the beams I8 will begin lifting instantly, thus lifting the shovel I8 and transmitting the shovel load directly to the tractor.

Numerous details of construction may be varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles disclosed herein, and I therefore do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A loading attachment for a tricycle tractor having a narrow body, a narrow front rolling support and spaced rear traction wheels comprising a frame including side frame members pivotally connected to the tractor adjacent the rear traction wheels and extending forwardly alongside the tractor body on opposite sides of the narrow front rolling support, a material holding structure mounted on said side frame members spaced forwardly of the tractor, lifting means connecting the tractor and the frame structure power means operated by the tractor for actuatng said lifting means, said means including generally horizontal lever arms pivotally attached to said side frame members, one end of said arms having ground engaging portions positioned adjacent the frontjrolling support, connecting means joining said power means tothe other end of said arms, said means being constructed and arranged to initially move said ground engaging portions downwardly relative to the side frame members, whereby the force exerted during the initial lifting operation on the material holding structure quently lift the side frame members with respect to the tractor by force then exerted directly on the tractor, the ground engaging portions being then lifted from the ground along with the side frame members.

2. A loading attachment for a tricycle tractor having a narrow body, a narrow front rolling support and spaced rear traction wheels comprising 5 forwardly of the tractor, lifting means connecting the tractor and the frame structure, power means operated by' the tractor for actuating said lifting means, said lifting means including a cable, lever arms pivotally attached to said side frame members, one end of said arms having downwardly swingable shoes engageable with the ground adjacent the front rolling, said cable joining the power means and the other end of the arms whereby an upward movement of the power means causes the cable to pull the lever arms upwardly about their pivotal attachment in such a manner that the shoes swing downwardly relative to the side frame members whereby the force exerted during the initial lifting operation o n the material holding structure is carried directly on the-ground independent of the front rolling support of the tractor, said means being constructed and arranged to subsequently lift the side frame members with respect to the tractor by force then REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille oi this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,116,351 Jones et a1. May 3, 1938` 2,326,338 Drott et al Aug. 10, 1943 2,393,299 Denning Jan. 22,` 1946 2,403,808 Laughead July 9, 1946 2,417,560 McNamara, Jr Mar.` `18, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 56,361 Norway Jan. 26, 1935 

